


Our Angel in Death

by AeveeItazura



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bus came back, Gay ending, How this was a better ending is a mystery, M/M, Might fuck around and write more, That ending hurt bad, everybody got better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:53:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27615824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeveeItazura/pseuds/AeveeItazura
Summary: After a long life, Death comes for Dean and Sam and comes bringing an interesting proposition for the brothers.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester





	Our Angel in Death

The last of the embers fade from the fire keeping him company. He feels a strange kinship with them as he turns to return home. Its cold, his breath not quite visible in front of him. Eyes closed, he took a deep breath. He knew his time was coming. He has done this dance far too many times to not know. Only. This time it felt. Different. More final.  
Eyes drifting to a mirror hanging crooked by the door, he had to admit he wasn't young anymore. That he hasn't been for a long time. He sat into his chair, just as old and worn as he is. The space heater nearby crackles and flickers. It's old but reliable as is the generator it's powered by. The low light deepens the wrinkles lining his face dramatically. Hair more salt then pepper, green eyes dulled with age, Dean Winchester knew that tonight he was going to die. For real this time.  
He chuckled at his own joke before reflecting on his life. Its been a while since he had thought about his hunter days, even longer since he thought about Chuck. He wonders if the former God is still alive. He probably is, the son of a bitch. Lost in his thoughts, he almost missed a whisper of a sound. A sound that he hasn't heard in many years and yet he remembers it like yesterday. The faintest flutter of angel wings.  
Swallowing hard, he stopped himself from looking. He didn't want to get his hopes up. Even now, Dean knows that the odds are against him. But he's tired. He swallowed again and let himself believe in a miracle.  
"Cass?" Dean whispered.  
"Hello Dean," a gravelly voice replied.  
Dean slowly turned to look, praying it wasn't a cruel demon's trick. His dull green eyes met vibrant blues, eyes that haunted him as much as they comforted him. It's been years, decades even and Castiel hasn't aged a day. Tied still undone, trench coat drab tan, hair short and dark. Dean turned, getting up. Well, he tried but his legs buckled beneath him, protesting the sudden movement.  
Without a sound, Cass was at his side, keeping him from falling on his face. Castiel pulled him up, hand grasping his. Eyes locked, not a word or breath from either. Moment stretching between them, neither willing to make the first move.  
Footsteps approach, breaking the tension. Dean forgot about Sam for a moment. That they shared a cabin, both long retired from the hunting business. Neither had the heart for the hunt after what had happened.  
"Dean, you okay?" Sam called out.  
Dean looks at Cass, words stuck in his throat. His hand is still clasped in Cass'. He feels Cass move to let go and he reacted. Fingers intertwine within the angel's hand, a meaningful gaze shared between the two.  
Sam walked in, leaning on the door frame. Concern washed away by confusion then shock then disbelief. He looked from Dean to Cass and opened his mouth for a moment, closing it, tilting his head before starting again.  
"C-cass?" Sam stuttered.  
Yes Sam," he answered .  
"How. How did you escape?" Same asked. "The Empty. How did you get out?"  
"It. Let me go," Castiel answered." It couldn't sleep with me there. And that's. All it wanted."  
"Why are you here?" Dean asked.  
He bit back his barrage of questions he wanted to ask, the second top question being why didn't he come back sooner. Eyes drilled into him and Dean looked away, tears pricking unshed. He couldn't help feeling betrayed.  
"I have come to do my duty," Castiel answered. "As Death."  
"What?" the brothers exclaimed in unison.  
"After Billie died in the Empty, the position of Death was. Empty." Castiel explained. "As I was the nearest supernatural entity, the role fell to me."  
"But you're not a Reaper." Sam interrupted. "Only Reapers could become Death. "  
"That is what Billie believed," Cass said. "She was mistaken."  
"So. You're here. For me," Dean stated.  
"No," Castiel stated. Before a protest could be raised, he held out his free hand. "I am here for both of you."  
Dean looked over and realized that his body was still in his chair while he also leaned on Castiel. Shocked expressions on both brothers faces, the news sinking in. Castiel eyed the space heater, still flickering merrily over Dean's corpse. All three eye the cord leading to the portable generator.  
"A gas leak," Castiel stated. "You are both already passed."  
Sam tried to give Dean a dirty look, having warned him more times than either could count. The generator was old and should have been retired years ago. Why Dean insisted on it was beyond him. But he couldn't really mean it, having reunited with Castiel, albeit temporarily. And he would be lying if he said that both going out peacefully was more than he could have ever hoped for. Better then any blaze of glory, really.  
Dean jolted, feeling Cass tracing small circles on his palm. Eyes meet, Dean brimming with so many things he wanted to tell the man. How he prayed every night, hoping that Cass could hear him saying all the things he should have told him. That he should have told him how he felt about him. About when they defeated Chuck once and for all, about how Jack took over as God, leaving Chuck a mortal. Jack bringing everybody back before leaving.  
"I know," Cass whispered.  
As much as he wants to be happy for once, he couldn't. Dean couldn't ignore the pondering look on Sam's face, the same look he got when he was about to crack a case. He couldn't ignore the secretive look in Castiel's eyes. And he couldn't ignore that this didn't feel right.  
"This. Feels different," Sam said slowly.  
"That is because it is," Castiel stated. " Both of you have died so many times that your souls are no longer human."  
A look of panic crossed Sam's face. Dean had a matching expression, both at a loss at this turn of events.  
"What does that mean?" Sam asked. "We can't go to heaven?"  
"Or hell?" Dean added.  
"Correct," Castiel answered. "To both. The only option for you two are to wander forever as ghosts or."  
"Or what?" Dean asked, not sure if he likes where this is going.  
"Or you become Reapers," Castiel answered. "To become a Reaper, a person has to have died and been returned to life. "  
A quiet blankets the room. Sam and Dean look at each other, both wondering what the other was thinking. Dean gulped, mind made up already. He looked down and squeezed Castiel's hand, mind made up. Looking back to Sam, Sam nodded in agreement.  
"So, how does this work?" he asked. "How do we become Reapers?'  
"The process has already begun," Cass said. "By sunrise, you both will no longer be mortal. "  
"Do we. Get to say goodbye?" Dean asked.  
Most of their family has been long since passed. But the thought of leaving Garth and Charlie without saying goodbye sticks in his throat.  
"That can be arranged," Castiel answered, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.  
Sam nods, smile breaking out as he went and enveloped the two men in a group hug. Dean grunted before wrapping his arm around Sam as well as Castiel. Sam released them both, a grin on each of their faces.  
"Well," he said. "Let's go to work."

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think I need to explain why I ended this bit on the same line the tv show Angel ended on. Just that I did.


End file.
